(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bed sheet securing means, in particular a means for securely keeping mattress covers, bottom sheets, top sheets, blankets, or other bedding in contact with an underlying mattress.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
When making a bed one, in general, secures the bedding, i.e., the bottom sheet on the mattress by tucking the ends and sides of the sheet under the respective ends and sides of the mattress, thereby sandwiching the perimeter of the sheet between the box springs or other mattress support, and mattress. Thus, the bottom sheet is secured in tightly close association with the top planar surface of the mattress. Other bedding, e.g., the top sheet and blankets are then placed, in turn, on the mattress. In general, only the bottom end of the top sheet, etc., is tucked underneath the mattress, the side edges being left to hang loosely. However, in some cases, e.g., where the person is ill or is a small child, the side edges of the top sheet and blanket are also tucked under the mattress. This provides not only a sense of security to the person which contributes to a restful sleep, but also helps to keep him or her warm, particularly during the night when indoor temperatures are lowered.
During sleep, a person repeatedly changes position, shifting and turning from one side to the other. This movement by the sleeping person sometimes causes the bedding perimeter to pull out from between the mattress and box springs with the result that the bedding becomes loosened and removed from its prior rather tight-fitting association with the mattress. The sleeping person, particularly where the top sheet is tucked along the edges, as well as along the bottom end, becomes less tightly covered, or becomes at least partly uncovered. The bottom end of the top sheet, etc., may be pulled out from underneath the mattress, not only uncovering the sleeper resulting in his or her becoming chilled and uncomfortable, but also resulting in extra work in next making the bed.
The inconvenience of undesirably loosened bedclothes is also suffered by those who must re-make the make the bed each morning. Many man-hours are spent, not only in homes, but also in institutions, e.g., hotels, motels, and hospitals, where numerous beds must be made each day. The bed-making task is particularly cumbersome to the aged or handicapped and to those who suffer from back ailments or diseases of the joints such as arthritis.
One rather recent convenience in the bed-making process is the fitted or contoured sheet. This results in a relatively tightly fitting bottom sheet which is secured, in general, to the mattress at its four corners by contoured, elastic corners. The ends and sides of the contoured sheet are essentially coextensive with the ends and are sides of the mattress and pulled under the bottom edges of the mattress. With this construction the bottom sheet need not be re-secured each day to the mattress.
The fitted or contoured sheet, however, is sized to fit a particular sized mattress. Accordingly, the anchoring function of the elastic corners of the fitted or contoured sheet is lost when the sheet is used with a mattress of smaller size. The contoured sheet can not be used at all with a mattress of much larger size. Where contoured sheets have shrunk with repeated washing, it is even sometimes very difficult to cover the mattress if such can be done at all.
Another problem with contoured sheets, particularly involving institutional usage, results from the fact that contoured sheets do not iron flat for storage. Thus, more space is required to store the same number of contoured or fitted sheets, than in the case of the so-called flat sheets. Where different sized mattresses are used in institutions, the contoured sheets of different size must also be maintained separately, for efficient bed-making operation.
Even where a bottom contoured sheet is used, the top sheet is generally a flat sheet, and movement of the sleeper during sleep results in the bottom end of the top sheet and blanket being undesirably pulled out from between the mattress and box spring. Thus, the bottom end of the top sheet must be tucked under the end of the mattress each day, in making the bed. This generally requires not only considerable effort on the part of some, e.g., the aged and infirm may have difficulty in raising the corner of a heavy mattress, but also requires some extra time in making each bed, each day. The savings of a few minutes making each bed can be of considerable benefit to an institution, e.g., hospitals, motels, and hotels, where each day numerous beds must be made, but not always completely changed.
Moreover, bed-making is particularly more difficult in some case than in others, for example, when the one-sided bed may be against a wall requiring the bed itself to be moved to tuck the bedding under the mattress, and in making bunk-beds.